Hebrews 11:6 states, "but with out faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Faith always gives God the best. This is what he requires to be pleased by our service.Now let's look in the old testament in the last book, the book of Malachi. In Malachi we see God calling for the whole nation of Israel to return to Him in the diligent keeping of His ordinances. A study of the entire book will reveal that Israel had not quit bringing God offerings, but they wer not doing it according to His will.God is addressing the priest of the law, who had gotten slack concerning God's command. Got told the people to bring a blemish free living offering to be offered by the priest into God for a sweet smelling savour. We are talking about free will offerings.God said in Malachi 1:6-7, "A son honoreth his father and a servant his master, if then I be a father where is my honor? and if I be a master where is my fear?, saith the Lord of Host unto you O Priest that despise my name, ye offer polluted bread upon mine alter and ye say wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is contemptible." They had fallen away from God by saying evil. Their tongues were full of deadly poison.Now in Malachi 1:8, "And if ye offer the blind for a sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick is this not evil. Offer it unto the governor; will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts. Verse 1:14, But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of host and my name is dreadful among the heathen.The people were offering less than the best unto the Great King, of whom even the heathen nations feared, and not only this but were speaking evil of God's ordinances. Their attitude and tongues were corrupt. God said unto them, if the governor will not be pleased with such offering, nor accept thy person, why do you think I the great King will.He is worthy of nothing less than our best and he will not accept any thing but our best. For in Malachi 3:6 God says, " I am the Lord I change not." We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service. God gave his best and He accepts nothing in return but our best. Any thing less that the best is not faith. It can't be or God would accept it as pleasing unto Himself.In Malachi 3:7 God said, "Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts, but ye said, wherein shall we return? Catch this next point! Even in Malachi 3:13 God said, " Your words have been stout against me and ye say what have we spoken so much against thee." The did not know that they were not in faith. They had deceived themselves with their own tongues.They had robbed God as stated in 3:8, and they said how have we robbed you Lord and the Lord said to them in tithes and offerings. What had they robbed God of? Verse 1:6 tells us. " If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear."By not bring God the best, they showed no respect to Him and robbed Him of the honour due His name.The Apostle Paul made a statement in one of his teachings saying, "Examine yourselves to see if you be in faith. Have we deceived ourselves in this day concerning true faith that is acceptable to God? Is our faith true faith or is it selfish faith?Note Malachi 2:13, "And this have ye done again covering the alter of the Lord with tears, with weepings and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand." Even with weeping and crying, the Lord rejected the offerings of the priests. The people in Malachi and the people in the book of James had both deceived themselves with their tongues, thinking they were in faith when they were in sin. Neither were getting their prayers answered even with strong weeping.That is why God said to the people of Malachi, Return unto me and I will return unto you, and to the people in James, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double-minded.God loved them both so much that he personally wrote them a letter showing the error of their ways. He wanted them to repent so he could open the windows of heaven and pour them out a blessing that their would not be room enough to receive it as stated in Malachi 3:10.Read the free e-book this teaching was taken from, Glory Follows, By Fred Fishurne:
http://gloryfollows.comFred Fishburne and his wife are owners of a successful health store in McDonough, Ga., since 1994, specializing in combining supplementation and proper nutrition for optimal health benefits. Visit at: http://prohealthnut.com to read more health articles.
Keyword : faith, faith offerings, god's best, tithes and offerings, sacrifice of praise, honor, love of god
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